Financial Controller

About DroneSeed:Our mission is simple: Make reforestation scalable to mitigate the worst effects of climate change. DroneSeed is transforming a 300-million-acre global landscape deforested since the 1990s. It would take 300 years to replant this deficit with current tools. 
Our technology speeds up the process. DroneSeed uses heavy-lift drone swarms to reforest at scale after 🔥. We cut time to reforest from 3 years to 3 months. We’ve pioneered the drones and the backend required to operate swarms as a delivery solution over rough terrain. We survey sites and deliver to targeted areas of soil proprietary seed vessels that boost seed survival. Utilizing carbon credits, we double landowner investment in 18 months addressing the financial barriers to reforestation.
DroneSeed has acquired and expanded Silvaseed, a 130-year old business which grows millions of trees per year, to become the largest private tree seed bank west of Colorado. The acquisition positions DroneSeed as a one-stop-shop for reforestation services including seed collection, seedling cultivation, aerial drone-based seeding, and financing with carbon credits. DroneSeed plans to further expand, doubling its capacity to address increased demand for reforestation services.
Highlights:HQ: Ballard Brewery District, Seattle, WA Team: Grant Canary (CEO), Ben Reilly (CTO), John Hall (VP Ops & Finance), Cassie Meigs (Director, Account Management), Matthew Aghai (Sr. Director, Bio R&D), Arnoud de Villegas (Sr. Director, Business Development)Team Size: ~75Funding: $36M Series A from Social Capital, Seven Seven Six, and new investors including DBL Partners.Market: $272B Carbon Credit Market (Refinitiv Analysis)Revenue: Data will be shared with qualified candidatesClients: 3 of 5 largest timber companies, The Nature Conservancy, Tribal Nations, the Bureau of Land ManagementMedia: CNN, Mark Rober, Today Show, Bloomberg, TechCrunch
What you’ll be doing: The role of a Financial Controller (FC) will serve as the company’s lead accountant, responsible for both accounting and financial reporting. On the accounting side, the FC will be responsible for accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and conducting the monthly close such as preparing and reviewing journal entries and preparing and reviewing monthly reconciliations.  On the financial reporting side, the FC will ensure recorded financial data is complete and accurate, and transactions are recorded on time, and within the rules set by our company policy and in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). When there’s a discrepancy in the books, the FC will spot it, figure out what happened, and follow up with stakeholders. Additionally the FC will have responsibility overseeing the financial statement production on a monthly basis, general ledger management and ensuring that chart of accounts is appropriate and cost allocations, and tax compliance as it relates to Federal, B&O, excise, state and local taxes. Finally, the FC will have ownership of the company’s expense policy and will be responsible to see team members are accountable.  The FC will be the primary point of contact for the company’s outside accountants and will work to optimize workload between internal and external teams.  

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage the financial functions of the organization.
• Design and implement Internal Controls - separation of duties, approval of disbursement, SOXs requirements.
• Lead the accounting team - manager of team.
• Accounting Functions: AR, AP, GL, Financial Reporting, Payroll activities.
• Close process and financial statement production: month and year end, make journal entries, reconciliations, check GL for coding errors, oversee staff, assemble monthly financial packet for 3Ps.
• Analysis support: working with FP&A to support analysis, sales and profit analysis, monthly operation results to budget, variance (month, year), calculate operating metrics and recommend ways to measure company performance based on financial results.
• Cash Management: monitor cash flow across accounts, cash flow forecasts, cash transfers and wires when necessary.
• Budget and forecasting: work with FP&A to prepare.
• Outside Accountants: auditors, tax prep, annual financial audits as central point of contact, financials, fixed asset information, sign off on tax returns. 
• Tax filings: you won’t prepare but you’re responsible for accuracy and timeliness of all returns. Sales, payroll, property, excise, W2/1099.
• Work cross functionally with leadership: review financial statements with managers, discuss variances, help understand trends that impact teams, respond to requests from senior management.

Basic Qualifications:

• Requires a Bachelor's degree in Accounting with CPA or equivalent.
• 8+ years progressive accounting experience in fast-paced and changing business environments.
• Strong technical GAAP experience, with public accounting experience preferred.
• 3 years supervisory experience.
• Strong business acumen, attention to detail, and highly analytical mindset.  
• Technical expertise of ASC 606 revenue recognition, ASC 718, ASC 705, ASC 842, and other relevant accounting standards codifications for high growth technology service companies. 
• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system implementation/migration experience.
• Self-directed and ability to work independently.
• Ability to analyze and handle confidential and sensitive information.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to foster collaborative relationships across the organization.
• Proven ability to build and lead a high performing team and instill operational excellence.
• Excellent written and presentation skills with strong executive presence.
• Improves and simplifies processes, drives standardization, and builds scalable systems.
• Influence others, insist on the highest standards, challenge the status quo.
• Embraces rapid change.
• Manage internal and external stakeholders.

A plus if you also have:

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
• MBA, CMA, or similar advanced degree.
• Prior experience as Assistant Controller or equivalent.
• 0->1 Experiences (i.e. startups where comfortable wearing multiple hats).

Benefits of working at DroneSeed:  We’re focused on our mission and making a positive impact on the environment.  You’ll be a part of a leadership team where 4 of 5 members are from diverse groups.  These aspects (and our hiring process) are what have led us to have an awesome office culture and highly collaborative team.  In addition, we believe taking care of your health comes first. We cover 75% of your medical, dental, and vision premiums.  Life outside of work matters. DroneSeed has a flexible vacation policy, so take the time off you need - we don’t track vacation or sick time. 
Other Information:  Candidates must be eligible to work at DroneSeed HQ in the Ballard Brewery District of Seattle, WA. This position will require travel domestically (US) and abroad, therefore requiring the candidate to have a US driver’s license as well as a passport and status conducive to international travel.  In any application cover letter, please highlight what motivated you to reach out to DroneSeed versus other opportunities.  DroneSeed is an equal-opportunity employer and we are committed to building a diverse team.  If you’re deeply committed to our mission and capable of helping us rapidly scale our accounting capabilities, we’d love to speak with you.